FAQs

Outreach provides a range of residential and outpatient treatment programs for adults, adolescents and their families. We offer programs individualized for men, women, adolescents, women with young children, veterans, LGBTQ, and native Polish and Spanish speakers. As every individual’s situation is different, we begin the admissions process by first screening potential clients to identify distinctive needs.

Outreach uses an integrative treatment approach to drug and alcohol treatment. Our services are tailored to your unique circumstances, combining counseling, case management, medical, social support services and other expert resources in our continuum of care.

Outreach’s treatment services are licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and employ best practices in line with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services’ (SAMHSA) indicators of quality treatment.

The steps for our admissions process includes:

Screening and Assessment
Outreach screens prospective clients for the signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse as well as any coexisting conditions. Clients who fit the initial screening profile will be scheduled for a full admission evaluation, involving psychosocial history and assessment.

Intake and Admission
New clients complete the program eligibility and admission documents, and sign health care consent forms. The client and family receive an overview of the program’s goals, objectives, rules, and operations, and learn the client’s obligations and rights.

Treatment Planning
Outreach explains the results of the assessment, prioritizes the client’s issues and outlines the treatment. Immediate and long-term goals are agreed upon with the client.

Counseling
Outreach selects the optimal treatment setting – individual, group and/or family sessions. Counseling is individualized according to the client’s cultural, gender and lifestyle needs to implement the treatment plan.

Outreach offers programs that are individualized to individuals and families across the spectrum. Across our residential, outpatient, and rehabilitation programs, core treatment components include:

• Individual counseling
• Group counseling
• Specialized group sessions (e.g., anger management, life skills, relapse prevention) determined as beneficial during your treatment planning
• Vocational assessment and support services
• Mental health services (as appropriate)

Our facilities are welcoming and affirming to offer a safe and professional treatment experience for all.

Length of treatment at Outreach’s programs is not defined by a number of days, but rather by individual needs and situations. Treatment consists of phases where clients advance based on their specific circumstances and treatment milestones.

The cost of treatment at Outreach varies depending on the modality of care (residential, outpatient) provided. Outreach accepts Medicaid and most insurance companies, and works with many unions and EAPs, to best allow for accessible services to those in need in our communities.

Yes. Outreach is an approved Medicaid provider and participates in most insurance networks. Our flexibility for insurance reimbursement assures that we can make our services available to the widest population in the communities we serve. For the uninsured, fees are assessed on a sliding scale based on income and family size.

Outreach is committed to protecting the privacy of our clients. We adhere to all federal and state laws that protect such confidentiality.

Outreach’s Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) Certificate Program is approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) for the 350 hours of education needed to become a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) in New York State.

A new program, the 135-hour program was launched in 2017 specifically for behavioral health clinicians who possess a master’s degree in the following disciplines: social work, mental health counseling, family therapy, creative arts therapy, psychotherapy/psychoanalysis. These individuals are able to achieve the educational requirements needed in less than 350 hours of the standardized CASAC curriculum.

We offer 2 training tracks to complete the program:

• For the 350-hour program: Outreach Training Institute (OTI) offers rolling admissions with enrollment into our standard or accelerated tracks every 4 to 6 weeks.
• For the 135-hour program: Enrollment dates at each campus are typically 6-7 months apart. Please check our training page regularly for updates.

The total cost of tuition for the 350-hour CASAC certificate program is $4,450, payable in monthly installments throughout the course of your participation in the program. The cost of tuition for the 135-hour CASAC program is $2,500. Scholarships and financial aid are also available for those who qualify. Outreach is an approved ACCES-VR vendor for individuals who are looking to advance their education and vocational rehabilitation.

Please submit an application via regular mail or e-mail and expect a call within a week! Applicants will be instructed to come to an OTI campus to take a Reading/Writing exam. Following that, applicants will be called for an interview. OTI’s admissions committee meets weekly and applicants will receive an admissions decision within a week or so following an interview.

No. When you graduate you will be eligible to apply for your CASAC-Trainee (CASAC-T) Certificate through the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS). Upon receiving your CASAC-Trainee certificate, you are then eligible to take the credentialing exam. To become a full CASAC, you will also need to provide documentation of the required work/internship experience hours.

Yes. Outreach Training Institute provides professional development courses throughout the year across all campuses. The majority of our courses are eligible for CASAC hours, as well as for Continuing Educational Units (CEUs) for Social Workers and Mental Health Counselors. Please see our training page for more information.

Outreach Training Institute faculty regularly provide off-site trainings in school and provider settings. If you and your employer are interested in hosting a professional development training at your workplace, you can directly request information and quotes by emailing OTI Director, Liliane Drago, at lilianedrago@opiny.org.